Maquoketa Girls Track Finish in Top-4 Indoor Conference

The Maquoketa girls track and field team delivered a strong performance tonight, securing a 4th-place team finish in the River Valley 16-team field. The final race of the night, the 4×400 meter relay, had the crowd on their feet as the Cardinals engaged in a neck-and-neck battle. Justice Armbruster got things going with a strong lead-off leg, followed by a surging sophomore Natalie Hackman. Freshman Isabel Hopson ran a solid third leg to put anchor Cora Widel in a position to strike.

In a dramatic final stretch, Widel hunted down the Monticello runner, passing her just before the finish line to secure the gold medal. Their time of 4:19.44 is a super time for late March and moves this new relay squad into the Top 10 of All-time performances in school history.

Individual Excellence: Hopson & Hackman

• High Jump: Freshman Isabel Hopson proved she is a dual-threat athlete, leaping to a first-place finish by clearing the 5-foot mark.

• 800m Run: Natalie Hackman clocked a remarkable 2:21.30, finishing second in a race that rewrote the record books. Her new personal record (PR) moves her up to 2nd best all-time in the event, an incredible milestone this early in the season.

The Cardinals found success across every discipline tonight:

• Sprints: Cora Widel proved to be an ironwoman, taking 5th in the 55m (7.83), 7th in the 200m (27.80), and 7th in the 400m (1:03.01).

• Hurdles: Justice Armbruster added to the team score with a solid 7th-place finish in the 55m hurdles, clocking a 9.55.

• Throws: Harper Gjerstad led the throwing crew with a new personal record of 26-9.5.

• 4×800 Relay: The young quartet of Riley Buttz, Charlotte Ihns, Emrie Petersen, and Ella Gibson shaved a massive twenty seconds off their previous mark, finishing 5th with a new PR of 11:20.53.

After a stellar showing indoors, the Cardinals will transition to the outdoor season. Maquoketa returns to action on Tuesday, March 31st, as they travel to Tipton to keep the momentum rolling.